Lead-key-closing machine



Jan. 27. 1925. 1,524,606

M. E. WIDELL LEAD KEY CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 30, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27. 1925.

M. E. WlDELL LEAD KEY CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 50, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW/ 22' By; M

Jan. 27. 1925. 1,524,606

M. E. WIDELL LEAD KEY CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 50, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 27. 1925. 1,524,606

M. E. WIDELL LEAD KEY CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug- 30, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL. OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAN CO'M- lANY. OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LEAD-KEY-CLOSING MACHINE.

Application filed August 30, 1920. Serial No. 407,017.

7'0 all whom it "my; concern:

Be it known that l, MAoNUs E. \VIDELL, a citizen of the l nited States, residing in Haywood. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lead-Key-Closing ;\lachincs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to an apparatus for applying closures to containcrs, and while the invention Will be hereinafter described as embodied in an apparatus for bending lips of a cover upon a bead or wire edge of a container, it will be manil'est that the invention has other valuable application and uses.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a hand operated,

apparatus of simple construction for firmly clinching the cover on to the body.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for closing a container body, Which may be readily adjusted to operate upon containers of various heights and of various lateral dimensions. The invention contemplates in this respect an apparatus of a Wide range of adjustment.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for closing container bodies, wherein the clinching action will not necessitate the exercise of considerable pressure exerted axially of the container. In this regard, my invention contemplates the construction of an apparatus wherein the actual clinching movement is independent of the downward pressure so that the parts may be adjusted to maintain a desired light, intermediate, or heavy pressure upon the cover before and during the clinching action Without modifying the movement of the clinching elements.

Referring to the drawings, I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus en'ibodyimg my present invention, parts being shown in section,

Fig. 2 is a front View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the bearing yoke,-

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a container cover before application to the container body;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the'shape ofthe parts after application;

Fig. 6 is a' section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantiallv on the line 7-7 of Fig. (5; and i Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. l with the parts arranged in bucket moving positions.

For the purpose of illustrating my inventionl have shown on the drawing an apparatus embodying it, and particularly adapted to clinch the covers on to buckets and pails of the character frequently employed in the packaging of white lead and other heavy materials.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that reference character 11 designates one of these buckets or pails of large size, and a small one indicated in dotted lines of 12 will give some idea of the range of adjustment within the capacity of the machine. These pails are constructed, as may be seen upon viewing Fig. 7, of a body 13 having its upper body 14 curled about a wire 15 to form a bead at the open end.

The cover indicated by reference character 16 is provided about its edge with a curved part 17 to rest upon and partially embrace this bead, and is provided at intervals with lips 18 which are intended to be bent down, in and up against the underside of the bead to lock or clinch the cover in place. Four such lips are provided in the present instance and the apparatus of the drawings is intended to effect this clinching.

Referring to Fig. 1 reference character 21 indicates a base for the machine frame supported upon rollers 22 at the front and back so that it may be readily IIIOYQtltlbOtlt. This base at the front provides a support for the can preparatory to, during and after the clinching action, and a roller 23 is mounted in front cars 24 to assist in positioning the buckets filled with heavy material on the support. These buckets arc slid in untilthey engage suitable positioning stops 25 mounted in radial slots. An upright 26 extends up from the rear of base 21 and extends forwardly at 27 to provide an upper bearing and support for the operating mechanism, and an arm 28 providing a lower bearing extends out in registration with the upper bearing. A clinching head 29 carrying passive dies 31 adapted to engage the inner part of the marginal curved part 17 of the cover is mounted to reciprocate vertically as-an incident to the clinch-' ing operation and is carried upon the lower end of a stem 32 extending through a sleeve 33 slidably mounted in the bearing arm 28 and passing through the bearing in the bearing head 27.

Four sets or pairs of lugs 34 extend out from the clinching head and in each of said pairs an active clinching element is pivoted. A supplemental head 36, having pairs of lugs 37 in numbe and a1 angement corresponding to the number and arrangement of the bearing lugs is fixed to the lower end of the sleeve 33, and links 38 connect ,these lugs with the active clinching elements 35.

In the operation of the apparatus it is intended that the head 29 should be moved down upop the top of the cover, and by reason of the adjustment of the parts press it against the body with desired firmness, the clinching element 31 being arranged just inwardly of and behind the lips 18. Thereafter, the active clinching elements 35 are swung about their pivots to bend the lips down, under and up against the beads by a pinching action that is substantially independent of the pressure exerted downwardly by the head.

The sleeve 33 is threaded .at 39 throughout a. substantial part of its length, and a supplemental sleeve 41 embraces it and has sliding bearing-in the arm 28. A set collar 42 is threadedly engaged with the sleeve 33 above the supplemental sleeve 41, and this collar is connected by an extensible link 43 with one arm 44 of a bell crank lever 45 fixed upon a shaft 46 loosely mounted in a yoke 47.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that this yoke comprises a pair of downwardly extending arms 48 having bearing apertures 49 for the shaft 46. The inner faces 51 and front and back of this yoke are machined and this yoke straddles the head 27'of the frame in guide slots 52. It is provided with a center top aperture 53 through which a bolt 54 extends, this bolt being fastened at its lower end to the top of the head 27 and being provided above the yoke with a spring 55 yieldingly pressing the yoke downwardly viewing Fig. 1.

A manipulative arm or front lever 56 is fixed upon the opposite end of the shaft 46 and loose on this end of the shaft is mounted a rearwardly extending arm 57 carrying a counter weight 58, the arm 57 being adapted to be connected to the arm 56 by a bolt 59 engaging any of a number of apertures 61 in a segment 62 on the arm 57. The second arm 63 of the bell crank is connected by a link 64 with a set collar 65 embracing the stem 32, which is threaded throughout a part of its length above the sleeve 39.

The construction and arrangement of the parts is such that when the hand lever is moved down, after a pail and its cover have been positioned, the arm 63 moves the head down into operative position and then swings past a dead center against the pressure of spring At the same time, the active clinching elements are moving under toward the pail under the fiction of the link 43. Further downward movement of the hand lever causes greater travel of the actiVe clinching elements than of the head, and in ameasure has a tendency to lift the head up from the pail, which tendency is resisted by slight downward movement of the yoke, relieving the spring pressure. The

stem 32 and sleeve 39 may be adjusted up and down as height of the pail may render desirable, and by changing the clinching head and attached parts, including the sup plemental head 36, cans of different lateral dimensions may be operated upon. The apparatus may be adjusted to apply the desired pressure on the can or pail, and it will be apparent that slight Varieties in the height of the pail are unimportant by reason of the pressure of the spring 55.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing escription, and it will be apparent. that arious changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a support for the container to be closed, a vertically movable head thereabove, said head *arrying clinching elements operable upon vertical. movement of the head to the container to bend the edges of the container cover around and under a bead on the container body, and means for producing actions of variable extent of said head and clinching elements.

2. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a support for the container to be closed, a head vertically moving toward and from the container and carrying clinching elements, means for raising and lowering the clinching elements to clinch the closure to the body as a continuation of its lowering movement of the head, and means ion , ing elements.

LA'closing apparatus, comprising, in

combination, a vertically movable head, a

stem carrying said head and actuated to produce the vertical movement, pivotal clinching elements on the head, and means movable on the stem for actuating said clinching elements, and links pivotally con-- nected wvith said clinching elements and evtending inward towards said stem and towards said means movable thereon and pivotally connected with the latter.

A closing apparatus, comprising, in

combination, a vertically movable head. a

stem carrying said head and actuated to produce the vertical movement, pivotal clinching elements on the head, means movable on the stem for actuating said clinch-,

ing elements, and a lever for actuating said stem and said clinching elements, and links pivotally connected with said clinching elements and extending inward towards said stem and towards said means movable thereon and pivotally connected with the latter. 7

6. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a head carrying active and passive clinching elements, a longitudinally reciprocable member for raising and lowering the head, a second vertically reciprocable member having links extending outwardly towards and connected to the active clinching members, and means for reciprocating said members.

7. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a head carrying active and passive clinching elements, a longitudinally reciprocable member for raising and lower- 'ing the head, a second vertically reciprocable member having links extending out- \vardly towards and connected to the active clinching members, and means for moving said members longitudinally together to bring the head and clinching elements into operative relation with a container to be closed, and then moving them relatively in opposite directions to clinch the seam.

8. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a head carrying active-and passive clinching elements, a longitudinally reciprocable member for raising and lowering the head, a second vertically reciprocable member connected to the active clinching members, resilient means against which said reciprocable members react, means for moving said members longitudinally together to bring the head and clinching elements into operative relation with a container to be closed, then moving them relatively in opposite directions to clinch the seam, movement of the head being against a spring pressure.

9. A closing apparatus, comprising in combination, a head provided with passive clinching dies, and active clinching dies pivoted on said head, an actuating member for said active dies movable on said head and relative to the active dies, and links pivotally connected with the actuating member and extending outward therefrom and pivotally connected with the active dies so as to have a swinging movement relative to the active dies, said links together with the actuating member having a toggle movement relative to the active dies, and means for moving said actuating member in the clinching action.

10. A closing apparatus, comprising in combination, a clinching head provided with passive clinching dies, active dies pivoted in said head, astem in said head, a collar disposed; about said head for actuating the active dies, links pivoted on said collar and extending outward therefrom and pivoted to said active dies so as to have a swinging movement relative to the latter, said links together with the collar having a toggle movement relative to the active dies, and means for producing movement of the collar relative to the active dies to clinch a cover in place.

11. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a frame, a head, a stem carried by the head and disposed through the frame, clinching dies carried by the head, a member slidable on the stem and connected to said clinching dies, a bell crank lever pivoted in the frame and having one arm connected to the stem and the other to the member connected to the dies. said bell crank connections being of variable amount to produce relative movement fromthe head and dies from actuation of the bell crank.

12. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a manipulating arm, a bell crank connected thereto, a head having a link connecting it to one arm of the bell crank, pivotal active dies having links and connections uniting them to the other arm of the bell crank, movement ot' the bell crank in a clinching action lowering the parts together until the linked connection between the bell .crank and head passes the central point, and thereafter moving relatively oppositely to produce the clinching action.

13. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a manipulating arm, a. bell &

crank connected thereto, a head having a link connecting it to one arm of the bell crank, pivotal active dies having links and connections uniting them to the other arm of the bell crank, movement of the bell crank in a clinching action lowering the parts together until the linked connection between the bell crank and head passes the central points, and thereafter moving relatively oppositely to produce the clinching action, and a spring held mounting for the bell crank, the spring of said mounting resisting upward movement of the head in the clinching action.

14. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a frame, a head, active clinching elements pivoted on the head, vertically reciprocable members for actuating respectively the head and clinching elements, and having differential movement in the clinching action, said elements being adjustable vertically to operate upon "ans of different heights, and a clinching movement being independent of the height of the can being operated upon.

15. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a frame, a head, active clinching elements pivoted on the head, vertically reciprocable members for actuating the head and clinching elements and having differential movement in the clinching action, and means for operating said elements, said means being adjustable to produce accurate ope 'ation on the container being closed.

16. A closing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a frame, a head, active clinching elements pivoted on the head, vertically reciprocable members for actuating the head and clinching elements and having differential movement in the clinching action, means for operating said elements, said means being adjustable to produce accurate. operation on the container being closed.

17. An apparatus for bending tongues of a closure about a bead or Wire edge of av container body, comprising, in combination, a head carrying passive die elements and active clinching elements, the latter being movable around and up under the bead to bend the tongues forcibly upon the bead and up toward the passive clinching elements whereby the clinching action does not apply downward pressure on the container and a single mechanism actuating said elements.

18. A closing apparatus having in combination a vertically movable inner die, inwardly movable outer dies cooperating with said inner die to grasp and bend portions of the clinched seam to be produced, said seam when 't'ormeduniting the cover to the body of the container, means for pressing said inner die against the cover and said cover against the body of the container, means for operating the outer dies to complete said seam, a single power element arranged above said dies, devices whereby said power element operates said pressing means, and devices whereby said power element actuates said operating means of the outer dies.

19. A closing apparatus having in combination a vertically movable inner die, inwardly movable outer dies cooperating with said inner die to grasp and bend portions of the clinched seam to be produced, said seam when formed uniting the cover to the body of the container, means for pressing said inner die against the cover and said cover against the body of the container, means for operating the outer dies to complete said seam, a rotary power element arranged above said dies on. a horizontal axis, de-

vices "whereby said power element operates said pressing means, and devices whereby said power element actuates said operating means of the outer dies.

20. A closing apparatus having in combination a vertically movable inner die, inwardly movable outer dies cooperating with said inner die to grasp and bend portions of the clinched seam to be produced, said seam when formed uniting the cover to the body of the container, means for pressing said inner die against the cover and said cover against the body of the container, means for operating the outer dies to complete said seam, a power element arranged above said dies, devices whereby said power element operates said pressing means, devices whereby said power element actuates said operating means of the outer dies, and a resilient support for said power element against whichsaid inner die reacts.

21. A closing apparatus having in combination {,a vertically movable inner die, inwardly 'movable outer dies cooperating with said inner die to grasp and bend portions of the clinched seam to be produceo, said seam when formeduniting the cover to the body of the container, means for pressing said inner die against the cover and said cover against the body of the container, means for operating the outer dies to complete said seam, a rotary power element arranged above said dies on a horizontal axis, devices whereby said power element one ates said pressing means, and devices whereby said power element actuates said operating. means of the outer dies, said devices being constructed to relieve the pressure of the inner die on the container body when said outer dies are bending the cover.

22. A closing apparatus having in combination a vertically movable inner die, inwardly movable outer dies cooperating with said inner die to grasp and bend portions of the clinched seam to be produced, said seam when formed uniting the cover to the body of the container, means for pressing said inner die against the cover and said cover against the body of the container, means for operating the outer dies to complete said seam, a rotary power element arranged 

